Director Rachel Israel offers Jewish joy amid cultural pressures with two new comedies

New York filmmaker Rachel Israel is bringing Jewish joy to the screen with her two latest comedies, "The Floaters" and "Influenced." In a cultural landscape often shaped by war, rising antisemitism, and identity struggles, Israel's films offer a different perspective, using Jewishness as a backdrop for stories about friendship, family, ambition, and belonging.

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an appealing Jewish neshama (soul) that peeks out from an exceptionally authentic movie portrayal of the way Jewish traditions and culture reflect and shape the Jewish worldview.

"The Floaters," set at a Jewish summer camp, stars Sarah Podemski as Mara, the director. The film has been praised for its "appealing Jewish neshama (soul)" and its authentic portrayal of Jewish traditions and culture shaping a Jewish worldview. "Influenced" satirizes Manhattan influencer culture, culminating in a b'nai mitzvah celebration, and features Jill Kargman as a divorced mother navigating the Upper East Side scene while preparing her twins for their bar and bat mitzvah.

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It’s just kind of rolled into being.

Both films feature predominantly Jewish casts, including Jackie Tohn, Seth Green, Steve Guttenberg, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, David Krumholtz, and Jill Kargman. Israel, who also directed the 2017 film "Keep the Change," acknowledges a "strong Jewish element" in her work, though she states she doesn't exclusively aim to make Jewish content. The films were made at a time of rising antisemitism and anti-Israel fervor, leading Israel to hope they provide an alternative image of "Jewish joy."

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Jewishness serves as the backdrop for stories about friendship, family, ambition, and belonging.

"The Floaters" is currently in theaters with a video-on-demand release planned, while "Influenced" is available for rental. Israel's approach centers on celebrating Jewish community while acknowledging vulnerability, offering audiences a chance to connect with relatable themes through a distinctly Jewish lens.

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Jewish joy